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Reading is Fun; Reading is Exciting; Reading is a Great Escape from Reality

October 27, 2015 By: Patricia

So why wouldn’t I be devouring books as though they’re made of chocolate?

This isn’t the first time I’ve described my love of books, my addiction to buying books and borrowing them from the library, and my wide range of interests, so it should come as no surprise when you discover what I’ve read lately and what I’m reading now.

I worked through a self-help and inspiration phase and still have two more bestsellers waiting for me. Of the ones I read so far, I liked The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor the best.

I then shifted to a range of non-fiction books, including The Art of the Deal (published 1987) by Donald Trump. I found it very interesting (except for that section about the new football league that went nowhere), but it might only appeal to those with an interest in business, economics, or architecture. One thing you’ll discover if you read this one is that Trump has had phenomenal success in hiring women (and he named a few in the book) for executive positions and had high praise for those with whom he worked. That doesn’t prove or disprove that he’s presidential material, but it does put a bit of a squash on the claim that Trump is sexist.

I also just finished reading The White Gates by Bonnie Ramthun. I think the book is aimed at upper middle grade, but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and characters and will happily pass it on to one of my grand-nephews. It has multiple layers to the plot with more than one mystery, sports (snowboarding), family drama, good young characters that will appeal to both boys and girls because they have problems and are able to solve them.

And now I’m reading two books, one fiction and one non-fiction. The Devil’s Lamentby Kenneth W. Harmon is available in ebook and will soon be out in print. As I posted on Facebook, I read early versions of this novel and knew long ago it was destined for publication and success. I’m in the process of reading the final published version now. This is a fascinating novel–historical, biblical, horror, and literary, all wrapped up in a wonderful story of good, evil, and a love that survives throughout the ages.

I can’t wait to see how The Devil’s Lament does when the word gets out.

The nonfiction book I’m reading is One Nation by Ben Carson, M.D. This one was published a couple of years ago after he delivered the popular speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast.

The next couple of books I plan to read take me back to the self-help and inspiration genre: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo and Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.

For now, it’s back to the exercise bike followed by the ice pack (two activities I can do well while reading).

Comments

I admire the eclecticism in your reading, Pat. I think one gets a much broader and more accurate perspective on what’s out there by doing that. And it keeps the ‘ho-hums’ away. Good to hear you’re getting on that bike and getting strong again.

I’ve got the Elizabeth Gilbert book in my currently reading pile. I’m also reading a wonderful historical fiction novel called Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner. I’ve read one other novel by her and enjoyed that one, too.

Well, I do have a little extra time on my hands these days, Alex. I can’t sit at the computer too long, and one can only watch so much television, so when I’m not working on physical therapy and exercises, I read.

Meet Patricia

I read, I write, I blog, and sometimes I do the laundry and cook. My 2014 novel, Dead Wrong, was a finalist in the thriller category of the 2015 Colorado Book Awards. Wishing Caswell Dead (Five Star/Cengage, December 20, 2017) is a historical mystery set in 1830s Illinois in the fictitious Village of Sangamon. The novel is a finalist for the 2018 Colorado Book Awards for General Fiction. Read More…